The invention relates to a motor vehicle having an air duct that extends away from a wheel housing. The wheel housing may be, in particular, a front wheel housing. The motor vehicle may be, in particular, a passenger car.
EP 1 762 470 B1 discloses a motor vehicle wing which has an opening that permits the removal of air. The wing, moreover, has first fastening devices which are connected fixedly to the wing and are capable of permitting the fastening of a closure element that covers the opening which is formed in the wing. The first fastening devices are composed in one piece with the wing and protrude with the inner side of the wing. The first fastening devices are substantially cylindrical pins. The first fastening devices can be situated at the free end of exposed walls which are situated such that they project from the inner side of the wing. The fastening devices can be positioned at regular intervals on the outline of the opening.
Furthermore, EP 1 762 470 B1 discloses a method for obtaining a motor vehicle wing, in which a closure element is placed in front of an opening which is formed on the wing. The closure element is positioned in a first step on first fastening devices which are arranged so as to project from the inner side of the wing. Second fastening devices subsequently are brought into contact with the first fastening devices by the closure element being pressed against the first fastening devices. The first fastening devices are substantially cylindrical pins. A high outlay of manufacturing and assembly costs is disadvantageous here, which additionally ensures noticeable wheel ventilation only in the case of wings which project laterally to a considerable extent.
A wheel ventilation means is also known, in which, as shown in FIG. 1 in a view obliquely from above of a front left wheel housing 101, there is a perpendicular slot-shaped opening 102 in a side wall 103 of a passenger car 104. As shown in FIG. 2 as a sectional view A-A from FIG. 1, the opening 102 is adjoined in the inward direction (in relation to the passenger car 104) by a plastic component 105. The plastic component 105 is open on two sides. An open end 106 serves as an air inlet opening into the wheel housing 101 and with its other open end 107 serves as an air outlet opening into the opening 102. As a result, the plastic component 105 provides an air duct 108 between the front wheel housing 101 and the side wall 103 or the opening 102 situated therein. The plastic component 105 is connected to the side wall 103 at a front edge 109 of the side wall 103, which edge 109 adjoins the wheel housing 101. Furthermore, the plastic component 105 is connected via a cover 110 to a rear edge 111 of the side wall 103 at the opening 102. This type of wheel ventilation is also associated with a high outlay of manufacturing and assembly costs.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art at least partially and, in particular, to provide a possibility for effective wheel ventilation by way of comparatively simple and inexpensive measures.
This and other objects are achieved by way of a motor vehicle having an air duct that extends away from a wheel housing, the air duct running between a side wall of the motor vehicle and a wheel housing cover (fender cover) which covers the side wall at a spacing. That region of the side wall which is covered there by the wheel housing cover at a spacing can also be called an “air guiding region” of the side wall in the following text. The air guiding region therefore corresponds to that region of the side wall which belongs to the air duct.
Such a motor vehicle has the advantage that the air duct can be realized by way of comparatively simple and inexpensive measures. No opening needs to be made in the side wall, which maintains the stability of the latter in a practically undiminished manner. The wheel housing cover is likewise already present and may be used further without any or with only minor structural modifications. As a consequence, no dedicated component is required for the air duct, which saves tooling, material and assembly costs.
The air duct is therefore formed, in particular, by the air guiding region of the side wall and a region of the wheel housing cover, which region covers the air guiding region. An air inlet region of the air duct therefore opens, in particular, in or on the wheel housing in such a way that, during driving, air is pressed out of the wheel housing into the air duct. The air duct can run completely or at least in sections between the side wall of the motor vehicle and the wheel housing cover which covers the side wall at a spacing.
The side wall may be, in particular, part of a vehicle body and/or part of a bumper.
In one refinement the air duct runs at least in sections between an inwardly directed impressed formation of the side wall and a wheel housing cover which covers the impressed formation at a spacing. In other words, the air guiding region is formed at least partially by the impressed formation. The impressed formation can be made in the side wall with low outlay. The air duct is therefore formed by the impressed formation and that region of the wheel housing cover which covers the impressed formation. Since the impressed formation is directed inward (in the direction of the vehicle), the air duct opens at a position which is comparatively far to the inside in the wheel housing, which makes particularly effective ventilation possible. It is a further advantage that the air duct can be provided independently of a shape or a presence of a laterally projecting wing.
The wheel housing cover may cover an outer edge of the wheel arch or wheel housing in sections or completely.
In one further development the impressed formation is an elongate impressed formation which extends, in particular, in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, for example from the front to the rear. Here, the impressed formation may also extend slightly obliquely or obliquely in sections with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
In a further refinement the elongate impressed formation or the air guiding region of the side wall is an impressed formation which is rectilinear at least in sections along its longitudinal extent. It may run, in particular, in a rectilinear manner on the section which is covered by the wheel housing cover.
The elongate impressed formation or the air guiding region of the side wall may be attached, in particular, to a lower edge of the side wall.
The elongate impressed formation which forms the air guiding region of the side wall may have an (inwardly directed) tub shape in cross section, in particular with a bottom which is wide (along the vertical) and in each case one outwardly projecting side wall on the upper side and lower side. The side wall may be bent or curved. The bottom may be arched slightly outward.
In another refinement a height of the impressed formation is lower than a height of the wheel arch. The height of the impressed formation may be approximately half of a height of the outer edge of the wheel arch, in particular not more than half the height of the wheel arch.
The impressed formation and that section of the wheel housing cover which covers the impressed formation may be arranged at least substantially flush with respect to one another toward the wheel arch or wheel housing.
In one further refinement the impressed formation extends as far as behind the wheel housing cover. As a result, an air outlet opening of the air duct can be provided behind the wheel housing cover (in particular, in relation to a longitudinal extent of the vehicle) in a simple way. Here, the wheel housing cover covers the impressed formation only over part of the length of the impressed formation, preferably starting at the wheel housing. The non-covered part then serves as the air outlet opening. The air duct therefore has, in particular, a length in the direction of the air flow which corresponds at least to a width of the wheel housing cover, in particular is even larger than the width of the wheel housing cover.
The impressed formation may continue as far as a door region, in particular as an impressed formation of an outer side wall of a door, for example a driver's door.
In yet another refinement the wheel housing cover is fastened in the air guiding region, in particular in the impressed formation, for example by way of the use of one or more fastening elements. As a result, that region of the wheel housing cover which arches over the air guiding region is stabilized or reinforced mechanically, which is advantageous, in particular, in the case of a thin wheel housing cover. For example, fluttering of the wheel housing cover in the air guiding region at a high air flow speed can thus be prevented.
The wheel housing cover may be latched, in particular, in the air guiding region, in particular in the impressed formation, for example by way of using one or more latching elements, for example pins. The pins can be guided, in particular, through one or more holes in the side wall.
The wheel housing cover may also be fastened to the side wall outside the air guiding region, in particular directly next to the air guiding region or in the immediate vicinity of the air guiding region, in particular above and/or below the air guiding region. To achieve high rigidity in the region of the impressed formation, one preferred development the wheel housing cover is fastened, in particular latched, on both sides of the air guiding region.
In one further development the wheel housing cover is structurally reinforced in the region of the air guiding region or on its region which covers the air guiding region. This can be achieved, for example, by way of the provision of a reinforcing structure, in particular on the inner side. The reinforcing structure may be, for example, reinforcing ribs or reinforcing struts which run in the wall of the wheel housing cover. As an alternative or in addition, the reinforcing structure may have reinforcing elements which protrude on the inner side (that is to say, on the side which faces the air guiding region of the side wall), such as at least one strut.
In a still further refinement the wheel housing cover has ribs which protrude into the air duct. A reinforcement of the wheel housing cover (in particular, if the ribs are contiguous), steering of the air stream, and/or a protection of the side wall against small flying stones (“stone chipping”), etc., can be achieved by way of the ribs. In one preferred development for effective air flow and effective protective function, the ribs are oriented at least substantially horizontally, in particular are oriented only at least substantially horizontally. It is also preferred for this reason that a plurality of ribs run at least approximately in parallel or in a co-linear direction. In particular, an arrangement of ribs which are arranged in a lattice-shaped or box-shaped manner may therefore be ruled out.
It is preferred for effective air guiding, reinforcing and protective function that the ribs extend over at least substantially the entire width of the air duct.
In yet a further refinement, the air guiding region, in particular the impressed formation, is covered at least in regions by a protective lining which can be covered at least partially on the outer side, in particular, by the wheel housing cover at a spacing. The protective lining protects the air guiding region of the side wall, in particular against mechanical loading such as abrasion, scratches, etc., for example as a result of small flying stones, etc. The air duct can then be formed, in particular, between or by way of the protective lining and the wheel housing cover. The protective lining may bear, in particular tightly or with only a small gap, against the air guiding region. The result is that an auxiliary air flow between the air guiding region of the side wall and the protective lining is kept small or is even prevented practically completely. In order to suppress the auxiliary air flow, the protective lining may be folded over in the direction of the air guiding region, for example, at the air inlet opening of the air duct. The protective lining can be designed and assembled simply. The protective lining may be latched or clipped, in particular, on the side wall of the motor vehicle, for example by use of one or more pins. Here, the protective lining may also or only be fastened in the air guiding region, in particular latched. During assembly, if the protective lining and the wheel housing cover are separate parts, first of all the protective lining and then the wheel housing cover may therefore be attached. The protective lining may be, in particular, narrower (in the direction of the air duct) than the wheel housing cover, in order that it is covered visually by the wheel housing cover. However, it may in principle also have, for example, an identical width or be even wider than the wheel housing cover.
In one refinement, furthermore, the protective lining is integrated as a protective lining region into the wheel housing cover. The air duct can then be formed solely by the wheel housing cover at least in sections where the wheel housing cover has the protective lining region. The protective lining region may be, in particular, that region of the wheel housing cover which is directly adjacent to the air guiding region of the side wall. In comparison with the separate fastening of the protective lining and the wheel housing cover, this refinement simplifies manufacturing and assembly. The wheel housing cover can, furthermore, be attached simply from the outside on the side wall. A further advantage of this refinement consists in the fact that the protective lining region reinforces the wheel housing cover.
In one refinement, moreover, that the protective lining region is rectilinear in cross section at least in regions.
It is also one refinement that the protective lining region is connected, at a rectilinear front edge or edge section which is directed into the wheel housing, via an integral hinge to an insert part. The insert part can be pivoted, in particular, about the integral hinge into the air duct, in particular into the wheel housing cover between the protective lining region and the region which covers the protective lining region at a spacing. This makes particularly simple assembly of the insert part possible. The wheel housing cover may, in particular, be fastened to the side wall first of all by way of an insert part which has not yet been pivoted in, which can facilitate assembly. The insert part is pivoted into the wheel housing cover only after this. The insert part may reinforce the wheel housing cover to an even greater extent.
It is also one refinement that the insert part has struts, in particular ribs. As a result, an even higher reinforcement and protection against objects which fly up (such as small stones, grit, etc.) can be achieved. The struts may be, in particular, horizontally or obliquely horizontally running struts, in order to not impede an air flow substantially. The struts can be shaped in an aerodynamically effective manner, for example can have an aerofoil shape.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.